Adjustable machine support



I Ma 10, 1927.

c. w, STEEN ADJUSTABLE MACHINE $UPPORT pm Oct. 31, 1921 Patented May 10, 1927.

UNIETEU ES M mi CARL samn raoawppbj, dam, smnpg To inrrs-dnA i/intis mat nee-mimo COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE; Wisconsin; A CQRPORATION or DELAWARE.

Amns'mmlri MACHINE sorrow.

This invention relates in general to 11y naino eleotrie and other machines, and it has particular relation to devices for facilitating HI support, such mono or inore'raileor slides secured in fixed positioiron a base or floor, and the provision of ineansfbi' shifting the machines along the slides or rails and for holding the machine in adjusted position.

tegial abntlilent on "the rail or other support,

an adjusting se rew threaded through suoh abutment and bearing against the base or other portion of the machine, theadjtist- 2a mgsorevt" bemg eiteotive to shift the machine and to hold ltll'l 3 adjusted position. Another eonatruetion inelndesan abutment which is removable and adjustable to {rhyme otl severalpositions on the slide rail or other sup 25* port.

the slide railsor other siipports, for it readily permits the machining of anunih'er of bases orsup liorts in series, thus considerably rediiemg the cost of manufacture.

Iii aecordancewith the present; invention,

a slide rail or sup ort provided wherein the ahutn'ient for t e adjusting sorewis de taehahly mounted in and readily removable fronidesired operative position on the rail, the rail being preferably of the ordinary chambered type with an end closing wall for the ehamber. a

It is an object of thisinvention to proof supporting and adjustingdevioet for (1y nanro-eleotric and other machines, the ame being relatively simplean-d efiieienti Itis a further object of this inventionto provide an im )IOVGll design and construe that of rail or ase fhrsnpporting dynamoelectrie or othermaehines and'inehiding a relatively fix-ed abutment capable of provid ing' for the shifting of the maehinle to any and mountedinoperative position.

It isa fhrther olljeet of this invention to pritivide an .im Jroved design and conetruetion of supportingreil or base for dynamo- The fact that the abutment is re nmvable greatly facilitates the machining of ride an improved design antbeonetl'netion desired operative position. the abutment be ingeapable of being readily reinovedfroni electric or other maeliine, which provides for the adjustable wsitioning of the machine on li llB E'allPPL'lli) by mean of air abntment mountable in one or several operative ositions aiid bifliiable of ready reiiiovahaIiil insertion to operative position.

These and other objects and iitlvantages are attained by this invention, various novel features of which wilhbeapparent from the description andtlrawings, disclosing one embodiment of the invention, and will be more particularly pointed out lIltllBClEllIIlS.

In the aemmpanying drawings:

Fig. if is a front elevation of a motor, or other dynannreleetrie machine; mounted upon supporting rails oi. a1 designand provided with i'leviees embodying features of this invention.

Fig. an enlarged plan View oifa portionof the rail shown in Fig; 1.. r

Fig. 3 isa broken vertical seetion alongthe line III- 11T of Fig with a machine held iii adjusted piisition.

Fig. 4 is a vertical seetion along the line 1V--1V of Fig. 2. a

Fig; 5 is a plan view similar to Fig; 2, showinga modified form of the invention, providing for adjustliient ot the" abutment.

F ig. (iis abroken, vertical sectional view along the line VIE-Vi. of Fig; 5.

Fig)? visa view similar toFig; 5, showing a further modification.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the abiitiii'ent of Fig: 7

Fig. 9is a broken vertical section along the line IX1X of Fig. 7, with a, niiieliiiie held in adjusted position.

Fige. 10 and 11 ai'eviews similar to F 3 and 4; respectively, showing a further modification, the sectional plane of Fig 1.1 being substantially that of XIXI= of Fig.10. A

In accordance withthe disclosure of Figs; 1 to 4: of the drawings, a motor-or other dynamo-electric machine 10 is provided with so Jportingportions or feet .12 apertnred, as in( ioated, for the reception ofbolts for hold ing the motor in operative position. The motor is shown as being supported upon a pair of slide railsliteach rail having at each end thereof a pair of oppositely ext-shil ing feet: or lugs adjacent thelower edge thereof; these lugs being apertured to reeeive bolts for holding the rail in position on the floor or other support. The rail is indicated as being recessed or chambered underneath and comprising substantially parallel side walls and a cross piece 16 constituting a top Wall and connectlng the sides adjacent the upper edges thereof and apertured, preferably centrally, adjacent the ends of the rail, as indicated at 17. As is an or- Eli dinary construction, the sides of the rail extend to the floor or other support and the space between the sides is closed at the ends by means ofend walls, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. The upper side of the rail is pro vided'throughout its length or at spaced points, as indicated, with upwardly pro ecting portions 18, one on each side of the central aperture 17 and both having machined upper surfaces designed to provide a seat a-ndconstituting slides upon which the base or feet of the machine may be shifted and is guided. The closed endof the rail is provided with an abutment shoulder 19 at the end of. the elongated aperture 17 in the cross-piece of the rail.

The motor is held in position on the rails 14 by means of bolts 20 passing through the apertures in the feet 12, the bolts being pro vided' with clamping and holding nuts 21 on the upper sides of the feet, the bolt heads 23 being disposed in the space between the side Walls and beneath the cross-piece 16 of the rail. The bolts 20, one at each end of a rail, are held in spaced relation and in operative position against dropping, by means of apertured strips of sheet metal 24, the apertures in the strips being the same distance apart as the apertures in the supporting feet 12 of the motor. As indicated at 25, the ends of the strips 24 are turned up alongside the heads. of the bolts. VA securing device 26 in the formof an apertured piece of sheet metal through which the bolt 20 passes, is secured to the under side of the strip 24, as by spot welding thereto, and is provided with bent over extensions, as indicated at 27, at the under side of the bolt head, preventing the bolt from dropping out of position.

A removable abutment 31 is shown as comprising a body portion 32 having a threaded aperture extending therethrough longitudinally of the rail for the reception of an adjusting screw 33 designed to hear at its end against the foot 12. The under side of the body portion 32 is provided with a seat portion 34 designed to be received between the machined slides 18 of the rail and to rest upon the imperforate portion of the cross-piece 16, and preferably to have a relatively close sliding fit between the opsupport or set of rails.

portion 32 and is provided at its lower end with a cross-head 36 of such width as to hear at each side on the lower face of cross-piece 16 of the rail, as indicated in Fig. l.

The design of abutment is such that, when the body portion 32 rests upon the upper side of the rail, the upper face of the ero:-shead 36 may be in substantial engagement; with the under side of the crosspiece it). The lower side of the body portion 32 or the shank 35 is provided with a shoulder or projection 37 designed for hearing engagement with the abutment wall 19 on the rail when the removable abutment 31 is in operative position.

In placing the abutment 31 in operative position, it is turned on a vertical axis through an angle of 90 degrees from the position indicated in dawings. The crosshead 36 and the shank are of such size that with the abutment in the new position, the cross-head and the shank may be readily inserted through the aperture 17, after which operation the abutment may be turned back and the body portion dropped to operative position with the seat 34 resting on the cross-piece 16 between the slides 18. \Vith the abutment in this position, the adjie-ting screw 33 may be threaded through the abutment and into engagement with the motor base or a foot thereof to shift the motor along the rail or to hold it in adjusted position, in which case the reaction of the adjusting screw against the abutment insures solid engagement of the shoulder 37 of the abutment against the abutment wall 19 of the rail and engagement of the seat 34 on the upper face of the cross-piece 16 and the cross-head 36 onthe lower face of the crosspiece 16. Any tendency towards distortion in an angular direction about a vertical axis is resisted by the close engagement between the sides of the body portion 32 and the raised slides 18. As will be apparent, with the nuts 21 loose, the motor may be readily adjusted to any desired position, after which it may be held securely in such position by tightening the nuts 21.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification of the device illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. This modification is such as provides for readily positioning the abutment ill in any one of several operative positions. \Vith this provision, itwill be apparent that there may be almost any lower limit to the size of the motor or machine that may be sati tae torily held in operative position on a given As indicated in Figs. 5 and (3, the body portion of the abutment is provided with opposite downwardly extending lugs in such position as to engage in opposed recesses or slots ll; in the side walls of the elongated aperture 17. It will be apparent that, with the lugs 45 in operative position in a pair of slots 4-6,

llltl n at mashed thetwallsof these slots. act as bearin abutments for the front edges of the ugs or shoulders, taking up the reaction of: the adjutting screw and thus serving to hold the abutment 31 in operative position.

i In liigs7, .8 and 9, there is shown a furthermodification which provides for the adjustable positioning of the abutment 31,. The body portion 32 of the abutment is provided with; lateral extensions 51 which are designed to be deceived in slots or recesses 52in the raised slides 18, ()l ltlw :rail. With the abutment in the position indicated, that is with the lugs or extensions 51 in any pair of oppositely disposed recesses 52, the reaction of the adjusting screw 33 is such as to securely hold or look the abutment in operative position.

lin any of the forms 10f the invention disclosed, when the end of the adjusting screw is moved out of operative relation with the machine 10, the abutment may be shifted along the rail by first rotating it about a horizontal axis through the shank, probably adjacent the shoulder thtnron which bears against a. wall or abutment on the rail so as to lift the body portion 32 out of engagement with the upper side of the rail and the cross-head 36 out of engagement with the lower side of the rail.

In the modification shown in Figs. 10 and ll, the cross-piece of the rail is provided with one or \a plurality of spaced apertures L7, as may be desired, leaving imperforate portions inthe form of spaced cross bars, the wall at the :iorward edge of each constitutingta shoulder 19. Instead of a cross head at the lower rear .el'lge of the detachable abutmel'lt Ell extendingbeyond the sides of the aperture 17, this portion of the abutment, indicatedat 57, is only of such width asto permit it to pass readily through the aperture 17 without the necessity of rotating the abutment about a vertical axis.

Theengagement of the end portion 57 with the under side of the cross bar 56 serves to hold: the abutment in operative position. The abutment may be readily detached from any operative position by first rotating it to a limited extent about theend portion 57 and then lifting it in a substantially vertical direction.

It will be apparent, that, in accordance with the invention disclosed, there is providedan improved form of base or slide rail for-supporting a motor or other machine in such a manner as toprovide for shifting the motor on the base or slide rail, and Wherein the rail or support may be of extremely simple form and readily cast or otherwise produced and machined, and a further, wherein the abutment may be readily removed and placed in one or several operative positions as desired.

Another decidedattribute of the present invention is that existing patterns of the ordinary and usual type of rail having its abutment integral with the end portion of the rail, may be readily changed with practically no expense, so as to adapt it for :asting a rail for use in accordance with the present invention. Again, rails of the old type now in existence may readily be transformed so as to accommodate for the use of the present invention merely by removing the integral and abutment present on the old type of rail.

It should be ul'lderstood that the inven tiouclaimed is not limited to the exact details of the construction shown and described, for obvious mmlitications will occur to one skilled in the art.

lit is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a chamliiered support, the wall of said support at one side thereof being proviiiled with a through aperture and having a shtmldered portion about the aperture, and an abutment detachably mounted on said shouldered portion to operatively position the abutment, said abutment having a portion inscrtible through the aperture in the wall of said support, said insertible portion being adaptial to lie within the chamber and to bear outwardly on the wall ol said support when the abutment is in operative position thereon.

52. In combination, a support chambered at its lower side and provided with an elongated apcrtin'e through its upper wall, said support being closed at one end and having an abutment shoulder adjacent said end, and, a unitary alnitmont having a body portion adapted to bear on the upper side of the support and ongagcable with said. shoi'llder, and a portion insertible through the aperture in the support andcngageable with the under side of a portion of said support.

3. In combination, a support comprising side walls and an apertured cross-piece connecting said side walls, said support being undercut beneath said cross piece and closed atone end and having an abutment shouh der, and an abutment having a body portion bearing on the upper side of said crosspiece and. a portion insertible through the aperture in said cross-piece and engageable with the under side thereof when said abutment is held in operative position on said support.

l. In combination, a support comprising side walls and an apertured cross-piece oonnesting the side walls, said support being chambered beneath the apertured portion of said cross-piece and having an abutment shoulder, and an abutment having a body portion bearing on the upper side of said support and a portion extending rearwardly at an angle from said body portion and through the aperture in said crosspiece, said rearwardly extending portion having a cross-head at its lower end bearing against portions of said cross-piece at the sides of the aperture therein, and an element carried by and adjustable relative to the body portion of said abutment.

In combination, a support comprising side walls and an apertured cross-piece connectingsaid side walls and having a plurality of spaced'abutment shoulders, and a detachable abutment having a body portion adapted to bear on the upper side of said cross-piece and inlerchangeably engageable with any one of said shoulders to variably position the abutment on said support and having a portion insertible through, engageable with and adapted to'bear upwardly on the adjacent side of said cross-piece when said abutment is in operative position on said support.

6. In combination, a guide rail comprising side walls and an apertured cross-piece connecting said side walls at the upper side thereof, said rail being closed at one end and having a plurality of spaced abutment shoulders,and a detachable abutment having an apertured body poi-lion bearing on the upper side of said rail and interchangeably engageable with said shoulders to variably position the abutment on said rail against thrust in the same direction and having a portion extending rearwardly at an angle from said body portion and insertible and removable through the aperture-in said cross-piece and having an enlarged cross-head portion bearing upwardly on the underneath side of said crosspiece.

7. In combination, a guide rail recessed at its under side and having an aperture through its upper side communicating with the recess, said rail having raised slides at its upper side and an abutment shoulder, and a detachable abutment having a body portion resting on the upper side of the rail and a portion with a guiding fit between said slides, said abutment having a portion engageable with the shoulder on said rail to position'said abutment and a portion insertible and removable through the aperture in said rail and engageable with and bearing upwardly on the rail.

8. In combination, a guide rail comprisingside walls and an apertured cross-piece connecting said walls at the upper side thereof and closed at one end, said rail having a raised slide extending longitudinally of the rail at each side of theaperture therein and an abutment shoulder, and a detachable unitaryabutment having a body portion resting upon and with a guiding fit between said slides and engageable with said shoulder to position said abutment, said abutment having a portion extending rearvvardly at an angle from said body portion and through the aperture in said cross-piece and having an enlarged end portion insertible and removable through the aperture in said cross-piece and bearing upwardly against a portion of said crosspiece.

9. In combination, a guide rail comprising side walls and an apertured cross'piece connecting said side walls, raid rail being undercut adjacent the aperture in said crosspiece and closed at the end thereof and ha ving raised slides at the sides of the aperture and a plurality of spaced abutments on the apertured portion thereof, and a detachable aluitment having an apertured body portion resting on said rail with a guiding lit between sa-id slides, said abutment being interchangeably engageable with said shoulders to variably position the abutu'ient against thrust in the same direction and having a portion extending rearwardly at an angle from said body portion and extending through the aperture in said crosspiece, said extending portion having an enlarged end portion bearing upwardly on the underneath side of said cross-piece and being removable through said aperture.

10. In combination, a guide rail comprising side walls and an apertured cross-piece connecting said walls at the upper side thereof and having a raised slide, said slide being provided with a plurality of spaced abutment shoulders, and a detachable unitary abutment having a body portion resting on the upper side of the rail and with a guiding fit between spaced portions of said slide, said abutment having an extension interchangeably engageable with the shoulders on said slide for variably positioning said abutment, and a portion extending rearwardly at an angle from said body portion and through the aperture in said cross-piece and bearing upwardly on a portion of said rail.

11. In combination, an undercut guide rail closed at its end and having an elongated aperture through its upper side and a plurality of spaced abutment shoulders at the upper side of said rail adjacent one end of said aperture, and an abutment having a portion interchangeably engageable with said shoulders to variably position said abutment against thrust in the same direction and a portion extending through said aperture and provided with an end portion insertible and removable through said aperture and adapted to bear upwardly against a portion -of said rail when said abutment is in operative osition on said rail.

12. In com ination, an undercut support having an elongated aperture through its upper side and a plurality ol pairs 01 spaced abutment shoulders at the upper side of said support along opposite sides of said aperture, and a unitary abutment carried by said support and having portions interllti changeably engageable with said pairs of shoulders of the support and a portion extending through the aperture in the support and having an end portion bearing upwardly against a ortion of the support.

13. In com ination, an undercut support providing a chamber at its under side and apertured through the upper wall of the undercut portion, said support having a shouldered portion, an abutment adapted for detachable mounting on said support and two-operative with said shouldered portion, said abutment having a portion insertible through the aperture and adapted to bear on the under side of the upper wall of the chambered portion, and an element carried by and adjustable relative to said abutment said abutment, when subjected to thrust exerted through said adjustable element, being adapted to forcibly bear against said shouldered portion, with one portion of the abutment bearing on the outer side of said support and a second portion of the abutment bearing on the under side of said support.

14. In combination, an undercut support adapted to support a structure mounted thereon, the undercut portion of said support being apertured through its upper wall and having a shouldered portion, an abutment co-operative with said shouldered portion and having a portion insertible through the aperture in the upper wall of said support and normally disposed in the chamber of said support, and an element carried by and adjustable relative to said abutment and adapted to bear against said structure to operatively position the latter, said elementbeing efl'eotive to maintain said abutment against said shouldered portion with the portion of the abutment disposed in the chamber bearing outwardly against the inner side of said support.

15. In combination, an undercut support adapted to support a structure mounted thereon, the undercut portion of said supportbeing apertured through its upper wall and having a plurality of shouldered portions, an abutment detachably mounted on said support in co-operative relation with one of said shouldered portions'and c0- operable with the several shouldered portions, said abutment having a portion inscrtible through theaperture in the upper wall of said support and engageable with the inner side of said support, and an element carried by and adjustable relative to said support and adapted to bear against a said structure to position the latter, the reactive thrust through said element being effective to maintain said abutment against the shouldered portion with which it is associated, with the insertible portion of the abutment bearing upwardly against the inner side of said support.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is affixed hereto.

CARL \V. STEEN. 

